B'nai B'rith Cuban Jewish Relief Project
B'nai B'rith International
Cuban Jewish Relief Project

Religious humanitarian missions to Cuba - For information contact Stanley Cohen or Nina Kaplan, Cuban Mission office of B'nai B'rith
Phone: 877-222-9590 -
E-mail: bbrelief@earthlink.net

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Welcome to a site dedicated to the work of the Cuban Jewish Relief Project of B'nai B'rith's Center for Public Policy. It is our purpose to assist in the revitalization of Judaism in Cuba through personal contacts and through spiritual and material help. On these pages you will find photos and descriptions of current and past activities, including ways in which you may become actively involved.

Since 1995 we have helped the Jewish Cuban Community with humanitarian supplies and Judaica that have been needed to help maintain the community. We have also been able to send mammography machines to the hospital and medical texts to the University via the Jewish community.

We invite you to join us to visit and understand the religious and other needs of the community. Please feel free to contact us through the B'nai B'rith office: e-mail bbrelief@earthlink.net or call (877) 222-9590 (toll-free number).

Congregations in Cuba where B'nai B'rith conducts missions
Map of Cuba
Click on a city on the map, or on a link below, to go to a description of local B'nai B'rith activities.
Map used in compliance with Mapquest's Terms of Use policy.

Link to Havana page Link to Cienfuegos page Link to Sancti Spiritus page Link to Santa Clara page Link to Caibarien page Link to Camaguey page Link to Santiago de Cuba page Link to Guantanamo page Link to Campechuela page

2010 Mission dates:

June 2 - 10, 2010
October 6 - 14, 2010
December 8 - 16, 2010

Other Cuba missions are available.
Click on this line for more information.

Leaving Cuba, and a return - a report by Stan Cohen

The Cuban Jewish Community: Today and Tomorrow
Featured article by Judith E. Golub

For information on the next B'nai B'rith mision to Cuba, call (877) 222-9590 (toll-free number) or e-mail nkaplan@bnaibrith.org for details.
Click on this line for information on mission trips in 2009.

Patronato exterior
Exterior of the Patronato, the Jewish Community Center, in Havana

News and Information

Twelve Years of Helping the Jewish Community of Cuba: a report by Stanley Cohen, International Chairman

An overview of Jewish history in Cuba

Frequently asked questions: Humanitarian Religious Missions

Cuba's Synagogues (Opens separate browser window)

The Gary Rosenthal Collection

One of the most ambitious projects that we have undertaken is to provide  a piece of Judaica, in particular a mezuzah, for every Jewish home in Cuba.   Gary Rosenthal of The Gary Rosenthal Collection, the most-renowned maker of Judaica in the country, has provided us with enough mezuzahs to do this project.  Richard Popkin, an active member of the B'nai B'rith Cuban Jewish Relief Project, and Stanley Cohen, International Chairman, have undertaken this project. 

There are 1500 Jews in Cuba with little or no Jewish relics.  We approached Gary Rosenthal with our idea and he said “There is no problem.  I will supply you with anything that you might need for the entire Jewish community.”   Gary Rosenthal Collection

Gary Rosenthal came up with an idea to make the project even more meaningful by enlisting the Jewish Youth Philanthropy in Washington D. C. to help make the mezuzahs with the materials Gary would supply. 

Over 100 sixth and 8th graders completed these under Gary’s auspices. 

The mezuzahs were taken to Cuba and distributed with great love to the families.  Although we have not been able to distribute the mezuzahs to all the provinces as yet our plan is to complete the project this year.

We and the Jewish community will forever be grateful to the wonderful tzedaka which was made possible by the Collections of Gary Rosenthal.

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